Former F1 racer Karun Chandhok has joined Williams as the official driver for the team’s Heritage division. In his new role Chandhok will focus on the testing and public demonstration of Williams’ historic racing cars.
The Indian driver, a veteran of 11 Grand Prix starts, will make his first Williams appearance at the UK’s 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed on June 23-26, where he will drive up the iconic Goodwood Hill behind the wheel of an FW08C from 1983 and an FW13B from 1990.
“Williams is such an iconic British team, steeped in racing history so it’s a real honour to be involved in its Heritage programme,” said Chandhok. “So many of the Williams Heritage cars are pieces of racing history with great stories to tell, so to be offered the chance to get up close and personal and drive them - sometimes being the first person to do so in decades - is an incredible opportunity.
Williams Heritage was created to manage the team’s collection of historic Formula One cars, dating from Williams’ first F1 season in 1977 to the most recently retired models. The division showcases these classic racing cars to fans at a selection of events throughout the year, and also identifies and prepares a selection of cars for private sale.
“With a wealth of experience in a wide range of championships, including Formula One, GT, LMP1 and Formula E, Karun was the ideal candidate to be our Heritage driver,” commented Jonathan Williams, Williams Heritage Director. “What’s more, he has a real passion for motorsport history and is a font of knowledge when it comes to Formula One.”
